Lacing punch



Aug. 17, 19%; I D, D, DUN N 2,447,237

moms PUNCH Filed Dec.-l8, 1946 IAN/1. -17. .UUNC/i/V Patented Aug. 17, 1948 UNlT-ED PATENT. 7 OFFICE ..2.,441,23w i i i meme PUNCH Daniel D.:Duncan, Glendale, Calif. ApplicationDecem'ber 18, 1946, Serial No. 117,037

"This invention relates generally to punches,

and more particularly to alac'ing pun-ch adapted for piercing linearly disposed holes 'alongthe margin of b ill folds and the like preparatory to the application thereto of decorative lacing, -or

lacing for edge reinforcement or binding purposes.

An object of this invention is to provide a punch of this character which will facilitate the accurate spacing-of perforations in leather and like materials. V,

Another object of this invention is to provide a punch whereby linear-1ydispo-sed-slota'each slot being similarly obliquely inclined to the margin of the material operatedon, can .be expeditiously formed.

Another object of this invention is to provide a device having a plurality ofsharpen'ed prongs capable of adjustment as to the spacing therebetween.

Still another object of this invention is to provide a handle for such a punch with a slot on the upper end thereof'and'so disposed as to facilitate the "manipulation of the punch.

And'a last object to be specifically mentioned is to provide a punch of this character which, in either of the modified forms described herein, is inexpensive and practicable to manufacture, extremely simple to use and to adjust, and which will give generally eflicient and durable service.

With these and other objects in view as will appear hereinafter, this invention resides in certain novelties of construction, combination and arrangement of parts and portions as will be hereinafter described in detail and particularly set forth in the appended claims, reference being had to the accompanying drawings which form a material part of this application, and in which:

Figure 1 may be considered a front elevational View of the punch, the slot in the upper end of the handle being indicated in dash lines, and a portion of the other end of the handle being broken away to disclose the underlying structure;

Figure 2 is substantially a side elevational view of the same structure but with the punch turned through approximately 75 from the position shown in Figure 1, to facilitate illustration of the slotted upper end of the handle;

Figure 3 is an enlarged bottom plan view, as viewed from'the lower end of Figure 1;

Figure 4 is an elevational view of a modified form of this invention in which the prongs are adjustably secured by a bifurcated member and a collet, on the lower end of the handle, this lower end being broken away to illustrate how a shank portion of said bifurcated member is secured in the handle; 7 I

- Figure 5 is a vertical sectional View, taken on the line- 5*?) in Figure 4, portions of the figure being shown 'in'elev-ation';

Figure 6 is an enlargedbettom view of the modified structure;

-'Figure 7 isan enlargcd'perspective view of one of the prongs used in this punch;

Figured isa similar view of one of the prongs used in the modified form of this punch; and

Figure dis a fragmentary view of a portion of leather material with decorative lacing applied on the margin thereof; 'andshowing' theangularly disposed slits termed by the use ofthis improved Similar characters of ref-erence'designate similaror identical parts and portions throughout the specification and throughout the several views of thedrawings;

Referring now to the drawingsin detail, the handle will beseen to be comprised of aeonoidal portionid, and an upper end portion having a slot "l2 adapted to -be engaged by a fingerrofthe operator while the handle l0 is grasped by the other portion of the handof the operator, the slot facilitating the correct alignment of the punch with the work whereon the punch is being used.

The work referred to is rep-resented at M in Figure 9, the margin l6 of which is shown with angularly disposed slits ll formed, as by this invention, for the subsequent insertion therein of decorative lacing 20, according to substantially standardized practice in the art to: which this invention refers.

It will be understood that the slits l I are made by pressing the two similar prongs 22 into the material I4, withdrawing these prongs and reinsertment of the prongs in spaced position along the margin of the work [4. In order that these prongs may be inserted in the work, usually leather, without undue tearing of the same, the portions are sharpened as at 24 on the lower ends thereof, and will usually be ground down into blade form, the cross sectional shape of which is illustrated in Figure 3 at 26, while the upper ends or shank portions 28 may be circular in cross section or otherwise shaped according to individual preferment. A preferred form of the prongs is illustrated in Figure 7. The lower end 30 of the handle portion It) should be of reduced size so that the tool does not unnecessarily obscure the work operated on, and this end 30 is, of course, drilled, bolted or otherwise recessed to receive the shank portions 28 of the prong, in spaced parallel relation.

In the modified form of this invention, shown in Figures 4, 5, 6 and 8, prongs having blade portions 32 and rectangular shank portions 34, are adjustably inserted in the slot 36 in the bifurcated end portion 38 of a plug generally indicated by the numeral 40. This .plug 40 is rigidly secured in the lower end of a handle 42 by means of a shank portion 44, which may be cylindrical as shown in the drawings. The bifurcated portion 38 is exteriorly taper threaded as at 46 and an interiorly threaded collet 48 is adapted to be screwed onto this bifurcated portion after the,

shank portion 34 of the prongs has been inserted in predetermined spaced relation within the slot 36, these prongs being thereby rigidly retained in position. It should be noted that blades 32 are obliquely inclined to the shank portion 34, this form being normally accomplished by a grinding operation, in order that the slits ll may be expe sly formed according to the illustration in Figure 9. The upper end of handle 42 is rounded.

The operation of this device can be readily inferred from the foregoing description of the mechanical details of construction thereof, the operation of the two modified forms shown in this application differing only in the fact that in one of the modified forms the spacing of the prongs is made adjustable. It is thought that the above amply discloses how this invention may be reduced to practice and further description is deemed unnecessary.

Though there has been shown a particular embodiment of this invention and one modification thereof, this application is not limited to this particular embodiment and modification, but it is desired to include in the scope of this invention the construction, combination and arrangement of parts and portions substantially as set forth in the appended claims.

What is claimed as new is:

1. A lacing punch including a handle, and a plurality of spaced prongs secured on one end of said handle and having sharpened edges at the ends thereof, said edges being each inclined at an acute angle to a line through the centers thereof.

2. A lacing punch including a handle, a plurality of spaced prongs secured on one end of said handle and having sharpened edges at the ends thereof, said edges being each inclined at an acute angle to a line through the centers thereof, and said handle having a finger slot on the other end thereof substantially parallel with said line.

3. A lacing punch including a handle, a plug inserted in one end of said handle and bifurcated at the outer end thereof, exterior taper screw threads on said bifurcated portion, prongs having shank portions adjustably insertable in the slot of said bifurcated portion, and an interiorly threaded collet to engage said bifurcated portion to retain said shank portions.

4. A lacing punch including a handle, a plug inserted in one end of said handle and bifurcated at the outer end thereof, exterior taper screw threads on said bifurcated portion, prongs having shank portions adjustably insertable in the slot of said bifurcated portion, and an interiorly threaded collet to engage said bifurcated portion to retain said shank portions in adj ustably spaced relation.

DANIEL D. DUNCAN.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATEfi, PATENTS Number Name Date 260,935 Buckley July 11, 1882 399,943 Southwick Mar. 19, 1889 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 2,815 Great Britain Sept. 11, 1869 42,286 Germany Jan. 30, 1888 372,994 Germany Apr. 6, 1923 

